Lamborghini's Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario Edition

As part of Lamborghini’s 50th Anniversary celebrations the company has set aside some special editions for a select few. First off came the outrageous, fire spitting Veneno. Given only three Venenos were made at US$4 million a piece, your disappointment in not acquiring one is understandable. But with the release of the Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario, the company from Sant’Agata hopes to change your odds. Gizmag was on hand to lay eyes and pixels upon the limited edition beast as revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Aesthetically little has changed on the LP 720-4 50° compared to the Aventador LP 700-4, with the exception of functional elements added fore and aft to intensify the car’s aerodynamic position. On the nose, front air intakes and aero-splitter have been enlarged and extended. Small winglets on the sides have also been added to further increase air traffic and flow. The exception of is the completely new rear-end, featuring an enlarged diffuser underneath to smooth out airflow while enhanced meshwork on the back further improves engine bay ventilation. According to Lamborghini, as a result of these tweaks and other refinements handling and stability at speeds have been optimized, and aerodynamic efficiency increased over the LP 700-4.

The Aventador, with its carbon-fiber monocoque, 6.5 liter V12 and permanent all-wheel drive system, was already impressive, but thanks to the new and improved Anniversario, you now get an additional 20 horsepower. This horsepower increase, a result of some Italian engine mapping tweaks, brings the Aventador’s power output up to a polite 720 hp. Put that figure through Lamborghini’s quick shifting ISR gearbox and you’ll find the thing now runs out to 100 km/h (62 mph) in only 2.9 seconds, continuing on if unchecked to a top speed of 350 km/h (217.5 mph).

The Aventador’s bumble-bee paint job also adds to the cars exclusivity. Giallo Maggio, or “May yellow,” pays tribute to the color most preferred by Lamborghini owners since the introduction of the Miura. Referencing the founding of Automobili Lamborghini in May 1963, the exclusive Giallo Maggio paintwork is all-new with a luminescent glitter effect that will only available on this edition.

Inside the Aventador’s limited edition interior, upholstery of extremely fine, natural, semi-aniline leather lines the seat and doors. Yellow and Nero Ade (black) color treatments have been specifically developed for the Anniversario, as inspired by Lamborghini’s home in the Emilia-Romagna region. An exclusive Q-Citura stitch/diamond pattern introduced especially for this model can be found on the sport seats and door inserts. Bumble-bee bene!

The Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario is available as a limited run of 100 cars. No pricing has yet been announced but it's unlikely to undercut the US$387,000 Aventador LP 700-4. Like all Lambos built in 2013, the 50th anniversary emblem in the cockpit comes as standard fare, at no extra charge.

Born on the cold, barren Canadian plains of Calgary, Alberta, Angus MacKenzie couldn’t decide between marketing, automotives or an entrepreneurial path - so he chose all three. With an education in automotives and marketing, Angus has rebuilt the carburetor on his 1963 Rambler Ambassador twice, gotten a speeding ticket in an F430 once, and driven & photographed everything from Lamborghinis to Maseratis to various German and Asian designs. When not writing, Angus has for the past six years been Editor-in-Chief for elemente, an internationally recognized architecture/design magazine.